Crystal Tears
by Keli-sama
Summary: A young hanyou stumbles unto the Inugang.  Who is she and why does she call Inuyasha 'master?  What happens when Inuyasha recognizes her?  Will she become a bridge for Inuyasha and Kagome?  Read'N'Review plz!  InuKag MirSan KouAya SessKagu RinShi
1. Chapter 1

**Crystal tears **

**Chapter 1: **Itacha of the Makiori clan.

**Summary: A **young girl stubbles upon the Inu-gang. Who is she? And why is she calling Inuyasha 'Master'!

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Inuyasha & co. I do own Sayaku, Itacha, and Kyrei! But sadly Rumiko-san owns Inuyasha.

Inuyasha: Would you just get on with it!

Keli: Where the hell did you come from!

Kagome: Backstage duh! Now get on with it!

Keli: Fine.

* * *

"HELP" screamed someone bursting out of the bushes. A silver head turned around and golden eyes went wide with shock. The girl standing before him had shreds of cloths that barely covered her body.

"Master Inuyasha!" Said the girl in shock and relief.

"Master?" Said a girl with dark brown hair and bright blue eyes.

"No one has called me master since the servants at the castle where my mother lived… I'm just Inuyasha now." Inuyasha explained.

"Master… Uh I mean Inuyasha please help me! They are going to hang Kyrei!" said the girl fast enough to get the message across but still pretty fast.

"Who are you!?" Inuyasha said frightening the girl who was already skittish.

"I am Itacha! Please do not tell me you have already forgotten the only half-demon servant in your lands!" Itacha said frightened of her 'lord'.

"Kagome get her clothes!" he said looking to the blue eyed girl.

"Okay I have a priestess outfit but that's the only piece of garment I have that might be familiar to you," she said swinging a yellow book bag off of her shoulder.

"Thank you but I am only Itacha of the Makiori clan… I do not deserve such kind gestures for I am only a half demon servant of the Izayoi castle. I am not a pure being I just ask you save my sister Kyrei she is only but a child!" Itacha protested.

"It doesn't matter you still deserve to dress appropriately!" said another girl. "I am Sango. She as you already know is Kagome." Sango went over to the girl and guided her to a hot spring not far from the clearing where they once were.

"Why are you so kind to a half demon?" Itacha asked with her face twisted in confusion. Her eyes were pink and she had fox ears on the top of her head. Her hair was a light shade of purple and reached just past her knees.

"You are a living being and you do not deserve to be treated any less than such so get in the hot spring cleanse yourself and put these on." Kagome said sternly pointing to the garments she placed a flat rock close to where she was standing. Itacha nodded and did as told. The girls joined her in the hot spring and relaxed for a second.

"So what's your demon half?" Sango asked tilting her head to the side.

"I'm half fox demon." Itacha said sinking into the water.

"That's great! Shippou is fox demon!" Kagome said doing a little jump in the water.

"You belong to one weird pack. Who knew Inuyasha would start a pack! You must be the alpha female right Kagome?" Itacha asked and Kagome choked on her spit.

"Ummmm, I guess you could say that. But I'm not from the feudal era." Kagome said before she caught herself.

"But your pack consists of three males and two females and it seems that you are more dominating than Sango. By the way you smell you are mostly traveling by the hands of lord Inuyasha." Itacha said.

"Okay see I'm from a different time. I'm the reincarnate of the priestess Kikyou. I met Inuyasha pinned to a tree. First to join our make sift family was Shippou not long after we met the inert monk Miroku then we met Sango the demon slayer. I travel from my time to help them defeat Naraku who is the person who brought us together. I am also the reason for the Sacred jewel being shattered. I do ride on Inuyasha's back a lot but only to lead him to the jewel seeing as I'm the only one who can sense and purify the jewel. Miroku, the monk, is the biggest lecher of all time! Trust me, plus he's got the hits for Sango!" Kagome explained their story in layman's terms to Itacha.

"Oh, but your still the female pack leader. Master Inuyasha hasn't looked at a female the way he looks at you. I've heard about the priestess who shattered the jewel. They said she was from another era. And you claim it you. Can you tell me about your era!?" Itacha said getting more and more interested in Kagome.

"Well my era has huge buildings that almost seemingly touch the sky. They are called skyscrapers. And we don't use horses anymore though people ride them for fun they are no longer the primary form of transportation. In my time we use cars or bicycles or skates or skate boards." Kagome explained.

"They no longer have lords or masters in her time either. They all live under one Government." Sango took over.

"What about you taijiya, how did you become a part of the pack?" Itacha asked curiously.

"I joined because Naraku killed my kind and now holds my younger brother Kohaku in slavery." Sango narrowed her eyes to the water in front of her. "I swore one day I'll murder that baka yarou with no conscience what so ever!"

"Okay! I get that you hate the guy! What about the inert monk, you said his name was Miroku?" She pressed on now knowing her limits with Sango.

"Miroku's family was cursed with a Kazaana in the right hand. He must kill Naraku for the curse to be broken." Kagome and Sango explained together.

"And the fox kit? What about him and the neko?" Itacha said looking happy that there was another of her kind in the pack. 'He's so small and cute! He's full blooded Youkai too! Like Sayaku!' she thought.

"Shippou joined us because he is orphaned because of the thunder brothers Hiten and Manten who had shards of the Sacred Shikon Jewel." Kagome explained.

"Kirara, the neko you saw, came with me because she was the only one I had left. We later found out that she was also loyal to the priestess Midoriko. The priestess who created the Shikon Jewel." Sango explained.

"Like I said you guys are a real weird pack." Itacha climbed out of the hot spring after washing herself with the things Kagome handed her. The others climbed out as well and they dried and got dressed. Itacha in a priestess garments like Kikyou's only the pants were light blue. Kagome in her school uniform and Sango in her taijiya outfit then a traditional kimono.

They walked back into the clearing. The boys had already started dinner which was a wild boar that Inuyasha caught probably moments before.

Kagome got started on the soy and honey mix called Teriyaki. Inuyasha cut the boar to strips and Sango got started on the ramen while Miroku worked on the fire. Itacha watched amazed as they all worked never doubling something or bumping into each other. The fox kit came to her and sniffed at her feet. She bent down and picked him up.

"You're a fox Youkai like me right?" he asked looking into her pink eyes.

"Yeah only I'm not full Youkai. I'm hanyou." Itacha said sitting against a tree.

"That's okay! Kagome's my mom so you can be my sister okay?" He beamed up at her and she couldn't help but smile back.

Kagome looked onto the scene that played before her.

"Itacha how old are you?" Kagome asked while dipping the meat in the teriyaki sauce.

"Me? I'm…" she counted on her fingers with her face contorted in concentration, "251 years old!" she said triumphantly.

"In human years your 17 right!" Sango said looking up from the ramen for a second before looking back at the boiling noodles.

"Yeah! Same age as Inuyasha no?" Itacha said looking at said hanyou. He nodded and she sighed. She noticed more than one change in her master. For one he looks as if he has found his mate but at the same time he seems grumpier, sadder.

"Hey so you know how to fight?" Sango and Kagome asked at the same time.

"Yeah. But my katakana got taken away by the lord who took master Inuyasha's place. He said that women shouldn't be allowed to fight. He whipped me and Kyrei every night. He's a Youkai, a snake Youkai. He's cruel and mean and evil. He ordered Kyrei to be the personal servant to his pervert of a son and when she refused to have sex with him he threw me at him and said that if I don't sleep with him then I'll get 1000 lashes." She finished talking and everyone raised an eyebrow.

"Ya didn't do it did ya?" Inuyasha asked with genuine curiosity.

"What kind of whore do you take me for Inuyasha!?" Itacha said angrily.

"I never said you're a whore I simply asked if you did it!" Inuyasha replied with as much fire.

"Well I didn't! I'm waiting for my chosen mate. I haven't found him yet so…" Itacha said sticking her tongue out at him.

"You're so annoying" Inuyasha said grumpily.

"And you're easy to be around?" Itacha said standing up.

"Sure as hell easier than you!" Inuyasha retaliated also jumping to his feet.

"Oh yeah! I'm sure everyone here agrees that you're a pain in the ass!" Itacha said motioning at everyone in the clearing.

"You don't even know them, how do you know that you're not the pain in the ass to them!?" Inuyasha said glaring at her dangerously.

"I know a lot about them and their attitudes thanks to the chat me and the girls had in the hot spring! I know Miroku has a Kazaana in his right hand and can also use ofuda's and his monks' staff and he's the biggest pervert ever introduced to the world. And that he has the hits for Sango" Itacha was determined to show him how much she knew.

"I know that Kagome comes through a well to this time from her own and she's your ice miko's incarnate and that she has the power to seek and purify the shards of the Shikon Jewel. I know that Sango is a taijiya and that she lost her friends family and all the people in her village to a hanyou named Naraku and that he controls her brother with a Shikon jewel shard and that she is skilled with her giant boomerang Hiraikotsu and that she is also very good with a katana." Itacha yelled.

"I know that Shippou lost his parents to the thunder brothers Hiten and Manten who had sacred jewel shards embedded in their foreheads and that Kagome is like his adoptive mother. I know Kirara was once loyal to the priestess Midoriko! I also know that the sword on you're hilt is the legendary Tetsusaiga and you're older brother Sesshoumaru wields the great Tenseiga." Itacha screamed walking up to him.

"Sesshoumaru also wields the sword Toukijin which was forged from the demon bone of Goshinki and was forged by Kaijinbo who was later possessed by it and that Sesshoumaru is the only one who can suppress its demon aura and is followed by the human girl Rin and the imp Jaken. Ah-Un is the dragon Youkai that carries Rin around when she is tiered. Totosai is the sword smith that forged Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga. Old man Myoga is the one that was supposed to be guarding the tomb of your father that was in the black pearl in your right eye, which was also where Tetsusaiga was hidden." Itacha said shoving him.

"You were pinned to a tree for 50 years till Kagome removed the arrow that pierced your heart and Old woman Kaede said she was ice bitches incarnate. YOU had fallen in love with Kikyou and now YOU'RE in love with Kagome. And YOU don't know how to say so! YOU are afraid she'll reject you like the villagers back home in Hitachi! YOU have become cold hearted and hard because YOU feel like if you open up to someone they'll treat you differently! YOU pulled this pack together without even realizing it. And it will be YOU to defeat Naraku and make Kagome your's so you can show her and the wolf demon Kouga how much you love her!" Itacha said getting red in the face from lack of breath.

Inuyasha who was on his butt was looked up at the angry woman shocked at how much two girls could teach a new comer in a little amount of time and how she knew his affection for Kagome.

"Fine so you do know them but you don't know their feelings and personalities like I do!" Inuyasha pressed on not exactly one to give up.

"Inuyasha you are the biggest ass in JAPAN, Miroku shares the title and also has his own as the dumbest and most perverted male in the world, Sango is tough but kind, Kagome is kind loving and stern when she wants to be and Shippou although he annoys you is the cutest Kitsune I've ever seen." Itacha said jumping up in a tree, "I'm going to sleep now I've already beaten you!"

The others stared on amazement as Inuyasha just huffed and sat on the root of another tree.

"Whoa" Miroku breathed out.

"I guess she's used to fighting with him like this." Sango said softly.

"I think we should follow Itacha's example and go to sleep." Kagome said rolling out her sleeping bag and one for Sango as well.

Shippou got into the sleeping bag with Kagome and Sango got into her own.

* * *

"So are we going to Hitachi?" Kagome asked Inuyasha as they walked. They had already had breakfast and everyone was for fear of irritating either hanyou. They are both very scary when angry. Now they were walking a forest path to somewhere unknown to anyone except probably Itacha who was traveling by tree.

"If it's the only way to get that bitch out of my hair." Was his oh so kind reply.

"I'm a vixen Inuyasha not a bitch!" yelled Itacha from a tree not too far ahead of them.

Rolling his eyes he continued walking. Kagome shook her head and reflected on what Itacha said the night before.

"_YOU had fallen in love with Kikyou and now YOU'RE in love with Kagome. And YOU don't know how to say so! YOU are afraid she'll reject you like the villagers back home in Hitachi! YOU have become cold hearted and hard because YOU feel like if you open up to someone they'll treat you differently!_

_And it will be YOU to defeat Naraku and make Kagome your's so you can show her and the wolf demon Kouga how much you love her"_

'Did she speak the truth? Has Inuyasha fallen in love with me?' she was interrupted by her thoughts when she bumped into a growling Inuyasha. This meant two things, Kouga was near, Naraku was near, or Sesshoumaru was near.

"Who is it this time?" Kagome said peeking over his shoulder to see a whirlwind/tornado looking thing. Itacha jumped of a branch and gracefully landed next to Kagome who was now next to Inuyasha. Kouga stepped out of the whirlwind and walked towards Kagome ignoring Inuyasha's growling. (Okay I'm gonna make Kouga look stupid so don't even bother)

"Hello my Kagome! How are you today?" Kouga asked grabbing her hand.

"Hey Kouga, I'm fine you?" Kagome replied but she clearly wanted to say 'Leave me alone I'm In love with INUYASHA you dummy.'

"Good you know I don't like it that you hang out with mutt-face but I'd hate it even more if he wasn't taking care of my princess." He said looking into her eyes.

"And I'm guessing you're the wolf prince Kouga!" Itacha said tired of being ignored by the wolf.

"Yeah and you are…," he said obviously peeved.

"I'm Itacha! You know I don't think Inuyasha likes you touching Kagome," she tilted her head to the right.

"Like I care what you think you're a half breed woman! That's worse than the mutt!" Kouga retaliated.

"Do you have a problem with half breed women Kouga?" she asked glaring at the wolf the fire of hell burning in her pink eyes.

"No but I can see I'll have a problem with you!" Kouga replied facing her.

"BLADES OF FIRE!" Itacha screamed swiping her claws with her fox fire coming out in blades (Like Inuyasha's Blades of blood mixed with Shippou's fox fire).

Kouga didn't expect the attack and jumped last minute making her hit his legs and the jewel shards to fall out. Kagome quickly grabbed the jewel and fused them with the half that she has. The had almost half the jewel which only meant that the battle with Naraku was closer.

"HEY give those back!" Kouga said landing on the ground. Kagome defiantly clutched the jewel and stepped back. Itacha and Inuyasha stepped in hiding her from view.

"To get to her you'll have to get through us!" the half demons yelled simultaneously.

"You're just hanyou's what do you think you can do to me!?" Kouga said almost laughing.

"Maybe but two hanyou's equal…" Itacha started.

"The power of a full Youkai!" Inuyasha finished swiping his claw forming his Iron reaper soul stealer and Itacha using her blades of fire again.

Kouga fell back bleeding a lot in the arms and chest.

"Kagome! Stop them!" Kouga yelled out.

"Okay guys lets just wrap him up and send him running with his tail between his legs." Kagome said being the kind hearted person that she was.

"Fine don't let us kill the stupid wolf" Itacha and Inuyasha said together.

Bending down Kagome started bandaging Kouga's legs and then started working on his arms and chest.

"Thanks Kagome I know I can always count on my woman." Kouga said smirking.

"About that… Listen Kouga you're alright and all but I don't exactly see you that way. You're still my friend but I just can't see you as a romantic lover or a mate. I'm sorry." Kagome said sweetly.

"Is it the mutt? Why are you saying these things?" Kouga said looking surprised.

"His name is Inuyasha and he's NOT a mutt. Believe it or not he has his moments when he's kind so leave him alone. And I'm saying 'these things' because their true. I don't see you as anything more than a friend and if it is because of Inuyasha you shouldn't care." Kagome replied with an indefinable look in her eyes.

"Fine but when you get tired of the mutt know that you'll always have me." Kouga said running off.

"FINALLY!!!" Sango and Miroku yelled as soon as he was out of ear shot.

"It was about goddamned time you told that wolf to lay off!" Inuyasha mumbled.

"Don't tell me she let it go on for a long time! Don't tell me you didn't kill him a long time ago!" Itacha screamed in frustration, "Do you have any OTHER romantic rivals that you let live!?"

"I think theirs one in Kagome's time that she likes… I think his name is Homo or something like that…" he said loud enough for only people with Youkai hearing to hear him.

"ARE YOU FUCKIN' SERIOUS!" Itacha said a little loudly.

"Is who f-in serious?" Kagome asked glancing at her friend.

"Kagome do you like a guy named homo?" Itacha said in a tone that said 'if you lie to me I'll slit you throat'.

"I bet you got the homo thing from Inuyasha. His name is Houjo and he's just a boy from my school. I like him like I like Kouga. He's only a friend." Kagome replied.

Itacha sniffed the air to find traces of deception but she found none. Satisfied that she told the truth and that Inuyasha heard her she smiled and walked before her.

* * *

"So a new hanyou has joined Inuyasha's ridiculous group." Said a man from the shadows.

"I guess. She was seen traveling with them so that is what it seems." Said a girl not to far in front of him.

"Good work. Now get out of my sight." Said the man.

* * *

_**Okay I know I should be updating MBF or something but I couldn't help it. I had to right it or something or I'd never get to sleep. It'll haunt me for the day after and then I'd feel crept out. I wouldn't sleep and school is coming up soon so I need the last moments of over sleeping before I can't sleep cause of school and having to update my stories. I'm sorry to my MBF readers who are mad at me but please understand!**_

_**Keli-sama**_


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2: **Babies are like roses!

**DISCLAIMER: **I DO NOT OWN _**INUYASHA **_NOW LEAVE ME THE BUTT FACED BULLY ALONE!

**WARNING:** No real warning where as their's a reminder. Now remember Itacha knew Inuyasha before so some things she might say or do that Inu would react off of instinct with her okay.

* * *

The group had been walking for a while. They'd been heading southwest for the longest time.

"I spy with my bright blue eye something… RED" Kagome said being bored.

"Ummmm, is it Inuyasha's horai?" Itacha replied moving her head to the right.

"Surprisingly no," Kagome replied as if she hadn't even thought of it. To tell the truth she hadn't.

"Is it your tie?" Sango swerved a little to avoid a hand heading someplace unsacred.

"Yup, Inuyasha it's your turn!" Kagome exclaimed having to jog a bit to catch up to him.

"I will not participate in such childish games." Inuyasha scowled and turned the other way. Itacha couldn't help but laugh out loud because if she tried to keep it in she'd explode.

"Inu-Inu-Yasha…y-you sound l-l-like S-se-Sesshoumaru!" Itacha slid out in between fits of laughter. She collapsed and so did everyone else in the group. Even Shippou got the joke; the brothers are opposite yet act so much like each other sometimes. It's true; if you ever saw Sesshoumaru with Rin you'd swear he was Inuyasha.

"I. Do. NOT!" Inuyasha breathed deeply trying to not beat someone/something to a pulp.

The other's sighed and calmed down the laughing. They all fell silent and walked till the sun was about to set. They stopped once for lunch which was ramen and continued on the path to Hitachi. Kagome figured that Hitachi was near modern day Hiroshima or Yamaguchi. Somewhere down the southwestern side of Japan. They passed Sesshoumaru's castle a few ways back. His castle was HUMUNGOUS! Kagome couldn't help but stare in awe.

Surprisingly they were closer to Hitachi than Kagome anticipated. She thought that since they never went shard hunting there it was far away.

"We should stop now Inuyasha. Should I remind you, you are traveling with a tyke and humans," Itacha pleaded with him.

"Do you WANT us to help your sister? We're in western territory and still we're about a day away from Hitachi. Do you understand that Kyrie's life is on the line if we take this time off?" Inuyasha seemed almost eager to help the girl.

"Fine we'll go through the night but only if Kagome rides with you. Shippou rides with me and Kirara takes Miroku and Sango." Itacha compromised.

"Fine." was the only word out of Inuyasha's mouth as he crouched down. Kagome climbed onto his back and Shippou hopped into Itacha's arms. Kirara transformed into her saber-toothed cat form and Sango and Miroku mounted her. It's been a long day and as soon as they started moving Kagome and Shippou fell asleep. Not long after Sango collapsed on Kirara. Miroku kept her upright with his monks staff so she was leaning on his chest. After a while he fell asleep in an upright position. How? No one will ever know. While the others were sleeping Itacha and Inuyasha decided to catch up.

"So how is everyone back home?" Inuyasha asked getting bored of jumping tree to tree.

"As bias as ever, and now with the snake ruler they've only become worse." Itacha kept beat with Inuyasha and Kirara. Inuyasha was surprised at this because Itacha, being a hanyou _female_, got beat up more than she did.

"Is Sayaku still there? He's the fox Youkai that always helped you after you got beat up right?" Inuyasha said trying to remember. Honestly it has been more than 50 years since he's been to Hitachi and if not for Kyrei he wouldn't be going back either.

"Yeah, he's still there, but the bound him in the dungeon because he stuck up for Kyrei and me. He's still as friendly as ever. I still bring him food when the guards aren't looking. He really grew up to be a good guy." Itacha told him making sure not to mention that he was her chosen. She was still young, but she was sure it was him.

"And Old man Kuroki how long did he live after I was gone?" Inuyasha inquired with a smirk.

"A LONG time, surprisingly, he lived 15 years after you _seemed_ to disappear off the continent. Apparently that's different for the villagers in Old lady Kaede's village." Itacha laughed as Inuyasha stumbled nearly falling out the tree.

"How the hell do you know these things!?" Inuyasha jumped once again following his nose and sense of direction. He still remembered these trails from when he was a boy.

"Remember when Kuroki took care of our wounds after our run in with that spider Youkai?" Itacha snickered as she held on to Shippou tighter.

"What do ya mean run in? We looked for that fight! But DAMN it fun as hell wasn't it" Inuyasha grinned. Like an actual grin from ear to ear that reached his eyes.

"Yea we were also STUPID! That thing had to have been at least 400 years older than us at the time." Itacha fell back to a stop for a moment. Her legs were getting tired and Shippou was stirring. That's when she realized everyone else was too. She looked at the horizon and the sun peeked over yonder hills like a child peeking over a blanket.

"Morning baby!" she chirped to Shippou who was opening his eyes.

"Mama?" asked a very very sleepy Shippou.

"Not quite kiddo, but I guess you could call me that for now." Itacha smiled down at the sleepy kit. Shippou was obviously not used to sleeping when the person carrying him was running.

"We covered a good distance. We're nearly there. Only a few hours away." Inuyasha said putting an awake Kagome down. She wobbled a bit but didn't fall. Inuyasha kept her upright with his hand on the small of her back before she stood by herself.

Once fully awake Sango realized the position she was in with a still drowsy Miroku. Kirara landed and Sango slipped through the space that the monks staff now held. Miroku woke up not long after and dismounted Kirara as well. Once everyone was off of her Kirara changed into her neko-mata form.

"That went by fast," Itacha stretched letting exhaustion drip from her voice. Shippou wasn't very heavy but her legs felt like jelly. What Inuyasha said was the truth. They were hours away from Hitachi, the palace, and Izayoi castle.

"Let's have breakfast. Who's going out to hunt?" Kagome stretched getting her pack off her back (Did I forget to tell you that her pack was on her back the ENTIRE ride on Inuyasha? Well I am now -**whistle whistle-**) She took out a couple cups of instant-noodles and Inuyasha got really happy. So happy in fact he actually **smiled**!

"Okay I'll hunt seeing as Yasha is in La-la land and the rest of you don't seem capable of capturing a dead deer," Itacha teased walking off.

"Did she just call us weak?" Miroku asked flopping down to… eat… maybe.

"I'm to speepy to care…" Sango leaned slightly on Miroku slightly on the tree.

"That's just Itacha. I should know I have a great in look on character." Kagome stirred the broth and added the noodles. (I like that word 'noodles'. –giggles- noodles… -sings 'noodles' continuously-. )

"I'm back! Did ya miss me?" Itacha chirped coming back with a boar, still not skinned, and still hooked on her claws. Kagome made a gagging motion and Inuyasha snapped out of his daze.

"Itacha you can't skin it here! Kagome would surly loose her appetite the very second you start. You also have to remove the organs or the girls and Shippou might cry." Inuyasha pointed out in a half dazed state.

"Fine…" Itacha scoffed as she walked off into a separate part of the forest to skin the poor animal. (I don't even wanna think of how she does that –barf-)… Upon her return she has like ten pounds of meat in her hands and they were cut into strips.

"It's best when boiled. All the bad things come off it. That's what my mom always told me," she said laying the meat on an outstretched blanket.

"Thank you for not doing that here," Kagome smiled taking the meat strips and dropping them in with the noodles. Itacha smiled back but said nothing. She looked around for a decent tree to sit in. She found the perfect on. It was the one not far from the village that she used to hide in when the villagers were after her, after Inuyasha left. He had left right after his mom died. He just disappeared. It was almost like he never existed. The villagers didn't seem to care, that is until Uresa and Yani took over. Now they're saying that Inuyasha would have been somewhat better.

* * *

_Itacha was running. She had to find Inuyasha, who was ten, before they had to head back. She found her way to Inuyasha's chamber and took one sniff and his scent led her to his mother's room. The smell of death and tears hit her strong also. _

"_Inuyasha?" she sounded walking in. His mother's chambers were beautiful. It had the most intricate oil and pastel paintings and beautiful furniture, built for a queen indeed. He was there, Inuyasha that is, they were his tears. He was kneeling over his mother. She wasn't breathing. Itacha's vibrant pink eyes filled with tears and she couldn't blink them away no matter how hard she tried. _

"_She's not…" she sounded ran up to the woman's body. "Lady Izayoi, please! This isn't funny!" Itacha couldn't hear a heartbeat, breathing, and no matter how hard she strained her ears, she couldn't hear the blood rushing through her veins. _

"_I-Itacha, she died. My mom is dead…" Inuyasha said unbelievingly calm. _

"_No she's not, NO!" tears spilled from her face like a mighty raging river. Inuyasha, however, seemed to be out of the salty fluid the body makes naturally. The scent of salt multiplied with Itacha's but it already smelled like an ocean before. _(If you don't get it, it means that it smelt as strong as when you go to the beach. Like how you can practically see the salt in the water.)

"_Lady Izayoi! NO! Breath gods darn it!" Itacha screamed. She couldn't be gone. Izayoi had become almost like a second mother to Itacha. Her mother had died a few years back and without Izayoi and Inuyasha she would have probably end her life a long time ago. _

* * *

"I-I still remember the day. The day she left." Itacha let a tear drop as she jumped into the tree.

"The day I left too." Inuyasha finished as he looked down.

"Would you guys like to share with the group?" Sango asked taking a bowl from Kagome. It had a distinctively small amount compared to Inuyasha's and Itacha's. Even though she was a girl she ate a lot. But even hers looked small to Inuyasha's serving of ramen.

"The day Inuyasha left Hitachi was the day his mother left this world. He was still pretty young. About 150 years old. That's like ten or eleven human years," Itacha shared as she took her serving from Kagome. Shippou had been unusually quiet and she went to sit next to him instead of going back to the branch.

"You okay squirt?" she inquired through a mouthful of ramen.

"Uh-huh. I was just thinking. It's nothing, but it's just something that bugs me." Shippou put a small amount of noodles (-giggle-) in his mouth.

"Wanna talk about it?" Itacha said slowly.

"Not really. I'd feel more comfortable talking to Inuyasha about it. No offence to you or anything." Shippou answered back.

"Okey-doky then." Itacha had finished her noodles (-giggles-) and was now looking at the bowl like it emptied itself.

* * *

Kagome was walking next to Inuyasha in the front with Itacha at his other side and Sango and Miroku, with Shippou on his shoulder, walked behind. She was singing a song that she learned since she was little… The demons heard her clearly but the humans heard it slightly. (Just so you know the song she's singing is Fukai Mori… Just because that's what I'm listening to now and will probably be the feeling for the next paragraph.)

Inuyasha listened to the song intently. It explained his life perfectly. He locked his heart up and wandered searching for something; he didn't know what it was. He was stuck I suspended animation with Kikyou's arrow. Unable to cry or even look for what he thought he lost, broken and stuck in time. Kagome found him this way and somehow 'fixed' him. The days flowed on without him realizing that he could find happiness in the simplest places. He believed in Kagome and started the journey for the jewel shards with her. He was sure he left his heart behind but now he found it beating again.

Itacha listened and had a strange feeling. She had read something a while back. It was written in a tree.

It was written somewhat foreign like another version of Japanese. She understood it enough and related. She under stood the song too. After Inuyasha left, and way after she and Sayaku got comfortable, she locked her heart away. The poem reminded her of her relationship with Sayaku. He was a full demon and she could only dream of being with him in his perceptivity. He had such an outlook on the world. She would sit and listen to him talk deductively all day. Yet still her head, and sometimes heart, would be in the clouds. Eventually he'd find someone as smarter, prettier, better, than herself. Even still she couldn't remove his imprint on her heart. Sayaku made her heart beat again.

Shippou thought it was sad. He knew of Inuyasha's life. Kagome had a really pretty voice, like a siren. Only she didn't want to eat all the men in the world. Kagome…

Sango even though she only heard pieces of it, she was reminded of Miroku and herself. She, as a demon executioner, learned never to lust after anyone/thing. Somehow she managed to lust for Miroku, even if he was a pervert.

Miroku had a strange feeling for the song. Like it was how he felt since he was younger. Trying to find something that was seemingly not there, but now being with Sango he felt a pounding in his chest. His heart was beating again.

* * *

The group came up on the borders of Hitachi. Itacha and Inuyasha in the lead with the others behind; they had to face this alone. At least that's what Kagome thought until she walked into the village.

"Look it's that half demon bitch, Itacha, and she brought another half demon," whispered a couple villagers.

"Look humans are with them! No doubt they're under a spell" Kagome heard these so there was no doubt that Itacha and Inuyasha did too.

"Stop it!" Kagome yelled at the teenage villagers that had just spoken, "Do you even _know_ Inuyasha _or _Itacha to say such nasty things about them? No you don't! I've been at Inuyasha's side for over a year now. The only thing that either of them would even think of harming is something that was hurting one of us, us being Sango, Miroku, Shippou, themselves, or me! You shouldn't make accusations about something you know NOTHING about." Kagome huffed and turned back on her heels walking back towards the group. Inuyasha's bottom jaw was on the floor and Itacha's eyes were as big as dinner plates.

Sango had heard this and was thought the villagers were lucky that only Kagome got to them. She was about to snap too. Miroku was looking like 'holy hell'. Shippou was flabbergasted to say the least. Kagome strode confidently ahead towards what looked like the castle. Suddenly she sensed a jewel shard.

"The jewel shards that way," she said monotonously pointing at an elaborately large building compared to the others. Inuyasha ran forward and ran to the… place? It looked like a castle so she figured that it was where they were headed anyway. Inuyasha barged in and followed Kagome's directions. They came upon a room and Itacha screeched to a halt. Her hot pink eyes widened and she took a step back, ears darting in every direction.

"Itacha, what's wrong?" Sango asked stopping along side her. Sango, as well as everyone else in the group, had gotten really close to Itacha. Itacha was one of those people that you could get along with really easily. Maybe that was Inuyasha's undercoat as well.

"He's in there. I can't go in there!" Itacha turned to run away but Inuyasha and Miroku, with some difficulty, caught her by her upper arms.

"Itacha talk to us. Don't be scared to go in. Who's in there?" Kagome and Sango said together looking at Itacha's frightened face. The girl who didn't get scared easily now frightened to the core.

"He's in there. Uenki and his wife, I can't go in there!" Itacha fought back unrelenting.

"We'll be with you, they can't hurt you. Itacha we'll be here!" Inuyasha said with all his weight on his heels trying to bring back the girl along with Miroku but he was to red in the face trying to get as much oxygen to his muscles to speak.

"Itacha, we'll always be here. Right here, there's no need to be scared." Kagome stood in front of her and hugged her around the waist. The boys' let her go and allowed her to hug Kagome back.

Itacha had tears in her eyes when everyone else joined in the hug.

"Don't leave me you guys," she mumbled as she unwrapped herself from everyone else. They all nodded their heads and stood behind her as she barged into the room. There sat Uenki and his wife Suana.

* * *

_**Hee hee! Evil cliffy! That rhymed. Well until next time! Hope you enjoyed it!**_

_**Keli-sama .**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:** Haunted

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Inuyasha!

**Author's note:** Sorry for falling off the face of the earth you guys... It's just some shit went down... And was the last thing on my mind. My bad.

* * *

Inuyasha glared at the people, and folded his arms. Uenki had long charcoal black hair and beady black eyes. His skin was scaly and brown, his body thin and wiry. Suana was average, brown eyes, black hair, scaly skin, like her husbands.. Together they looked like a classic, creepy couple.

"I see you have returned," Uenki said. His breath hit Inuyasha like a ton of bricks. "With friends? Are you bargaining you're sister's life for theirs?"

Kagome was the one who raised her eyebrows at him, she responded, "Where did you get the jewel shard?"

Itacha cleared her throat, and Kagome looked at her, puzzled. Uenki glared at her, "Who are you to talk to me this way?" The rage in his hissing voice sent shivers down Kagome's spine, but she'd be damned before she showed him that. She met his glare with fire of her own, and Inuyasha almost felt sorry for the man. Almost.

"I am the priestess Kagome. Where. Did. You. Get. The. Jewel. Shard." She restated. Her blue eyes narrowed and her mouth was set with determination. Kagome didn't like repeating herself. She knew she looked different than the people in this time, she knew that in her own time shrine maidens weren't very high on the food chain, but in this time they were, and she was going to use it to her advantage. Uenki laughed at her. His laughter was wicked, and she found herself longing for Naraku's evil chuckle.

Uenki stood, and he towered over Inuyasha even, "Girl, that means nothing to me," he snorted. The glow of pink was at the base of his skull, and Kagome felt it's pull. It was tainted, poor jewel shard was crying out for purity. She looked up at Inuyasha who looked back at her.

Inuyasha spoke this time, "She may mean nothing to you, but I'm Inuyasha no Izayoi ak Taiyoukai, and this is MY castle." The tone of Inuyasha's voice was dangerous. Sango, Miroku, and Shippou looked at each other, stunned by the silent but deadly words. Did Inuyasha just use his full name? He just established himself as the second son of Inu Taiyoukai of the Western lands. Sango moved her hand to her Hiraikotsu and Miroku readied his Kazaana. Itacha crossed her arms, knowing that this would result in a fight in the first place. Inuyasha put one hand on Tetsusaiga, and smirked knowing that even Kagome and Shippou were ready for battle.

Uenki scowled, "I don't care who you are, pup. This is my castle! I am the lord of this castle, not YOU."

"I challenge that," Inuyasha said calmly drawing Tetsusaiga glaring at Uenki's back.

Suana sighed and rose to her feet, she was about as tall as Sango. She went to her husband, and rested a hand on his arm, "Lord Uenki, Inuyasha no Izayoi ak Taiyoukai is the previous lord of this kingdom. He left when his mother, Princess Izayoi, died."

Uenki looked over his shoulder at Inuyasha, "I know that, dear,"

Inuyasha growled and glared at the man. His life was hard because of demons like him. Demons who had no real regard for the family ties of a hanyou. He swung Tetsusaiga over his shoulder and waited patiently for Uenki to flag the fight. Kagome took an arrow out of her quiver and twirled it around her finger putting a little bit of energy in the arrowhead making it glow. Uenki glared at the group, determining his chances. All this for a hanyou girl?

"I will battle the hanyou. For lordship of this kingdom, but when he is dead by my hands do not shed a tear priestess." Kagome rolled her eyes and kept twirling the arrow like a baton.

Uenki lead the hanyou and gang to the courtyard. It was a large bare space where the lord spoke to his army before war, within the walls but away from the living quarters. It was a wide open space and Inuyasha stood about 50 yards away from the snake demon. Kagome was prepared to jump in if necessary, so was Sango and Miroku. Itacha smiled knowing that Inuyasha would win. Uenki was weak, Inuyasha had a pack to protect, there was no way he'd lose.

Kagome whistled and kept twirling her arrow, it caught Inuyasha's attention and when he side glanced at her, she moved her hair and pointed to the base of her neck. Inuyasha nodded and he understood. That was where the jewel shard was and he would decapitate this bastard and save Kyrei. Suana stood next to Kagome and watched her. Kagome glared at the woman and pointed the arrow at her head, "Get away from me," Kagome said dangerously.

The battle between Inuyasha and Uenki had started. Inuyasha roared when he severed Uenki's arm. It started to grow back, however, Inuyasha used Kaze no Kizu and tore him so shreds. Inuyasha wasn't prepared for his body to regenerate itself. Uenki laughed and attacked Inuyasha who tried to block him but Uenki managed to scratch his face, the poison sizzling his skin. Inuyasha drew in a quick breath and got out of the way. Kagome watched the battle with Uenki with vague interest. The two of them had many glancing blows, too many close calls for Kagome's liking. Kagome watched Inuyasha, he looked fine, but by the droop of his ears she knew he was fatigued. Of course only she knew that.

Sango pulled Hiraikotsu from her back and leaned against it, watching with interest. Uenki didn't look effected, he looked fine, he was laughing. Kagome still pointed her arrow at Suana's neck, glaring at the woman. Miroku watched as Kagome silently threatened the woman. Kagome glanced at Inuyasha again, the fighting at resumed, he looked like a dancer to her. His body like poetry in motion. She looked back at Suana, "Where did he get the shard?" With the dangerous gleam in her eye focused on the eyes in the taller woman.

"A demon in the last place we lived," Suana said almost calmly staring down the waif of a girl. "He killed the demon." Suana looked at the battle watching it's progress. Kagome looked at her and rolled her eyes at the way she stood. She stood like an authority figure, like someone who deserved power.

Kagome didn't lower her weapon, she did look away and looked at Inuyasha. He was struggling. He was tired and wounded and probably distracted. Kagome twirled the arrow again and went to stand beside Sango and crossed one arm over her chest, "So, he killed another demon to get the shard," she said softly, "He won't have any qualms about killing Inuyasha."

Sango nodded, "And we won't have any qualms about killing him." Miroku made a noise of approval and Shippou nodded. Kagome went back to twirling her arrow and watching the battle. Suana had stayed where she was, slightly frightened of the group of Shikon Jewel Hunters.

The fight between Inuyasha and Uenki waged on. Inuyasha was beat. He wouldn't admit it though. Uenki seemed invincible, no matter what Inuyasha threw at him he always regenerated. Kind of like Naraku... Kagome said the base of his skull had the jewel shard. Inuyasha vaguely wondered if Uenki could regenerate his head. He charged forward and swung Tetsusaiga sideways to distract Uenki, then turned it slightly so that the blade was coming at him before he could dodge. His head flew off his shoulders, and the jewel shard fell out. It glowed black, and Kagome ran to Inuyasha, almost gagging at the sight of the severed head. She picked up the jewel shard and it purified on contact, turning a vibrant pink. She fused it with the cluster around her neck, she had about a fourth of the jewel, and she wouldn't lose it this time.

Itacha and the rest of the gang ran over to the couple, "What happens now?" asked innocent Shippou.

"Now we find..." Inuyasha said trying to catch his breath, "Now we find Kyrei, and get the hell out of Dodge."

Kagome looked at him, and with one glance in those sunshine eyes she knew that he was exhausted. Acid dripped from his arms and onto the ground, eating away at the dirt. He was leaning on Tetsusaiga for support, and he was sweating. Kagome pulled Inuyasha over to where her big yellow bag was and sat him down on the ground nearby. She dug into her bag for the first aid kit. She gave him the look and he let her bandage his wounds, with a big sigh she stood up and faced everyone else.

Miroku lead the group over to Kagome, "We're going to get Kyrei... Who is staying with..." he trailed off his eyes flickering to Suana.

Kagome laughed and shrugged, "I'll stay. Not like I know what to do now anyway," she smiled at Itacha, "I hope your sister is okay." Her voice was withdrawn and Itacha could tell that she was recalling something.

Inuyasha spoke, also, seeing Kagome's face, "I'll stay too. Bring Kyrei back here, I haven't seen the runt in forever."

Kagome looked at Inuyasha, whom was still sitting awkwardly with one leg extended and elevated. His face was fully healed and Kagome felt like she was being stupid. He's not the same guy he use to be when they first met. He definitely wasn't that guy anymore.

* * *

_Kagome glared in contempt at a still tree bound Inuyasha, "I'm not Kikyou. Look I'm **telling** you. I'm not her, whoever **her** is!" she shouted putting one hand on her hip and another in an elaborate wide gesture._

_"An' **I'm** saying you gotta be her 'cause if you're **not** there's no way you could smell so-" he stopped taking a big whiff of the air, "You're not... her"_

_Kagome marched closer to him stomping her foot, "I KNOW! My name is 'Kagome'. **KAH-GOH-MEH**!"_

_Inuyasha scoffed, "You're right; Kikyou was cuter. **Much** cuter." Inuyasha glared at her thinking _'Who is this little girl?'

* * *

She bristled. Then Kikyou was resurrected, and the shit hit the fan._ Everything _got complicated and her emotions went haywire. She looked at Inuyasha, he's definitely different, but so is she. He lost that roundness in his features, that projected an innocence long gone, and he lost that glimmer of hate in his eyes that had scared her so much in those first few months.

"Why did you stay?" Inuyasha asked, laying back down, when everyone was gone.

Kagome sat next to him, "Because I'm not good at fighting, and if it comes to it, I'd only be a hindrance," she looked back at him. His eyes were so gold, his skin so tan and perfect, his lips full and sexy, the planes of his face were so perfect. She caught herself staring, _'What am I thinking? Inuyasha would have a fit if he knew that I fell in love with him. Even though I've known that I am for a long time.'_

Inuyasha smiled when she turned around, blushing. He looked up at the sky which was still blue with the noon day sun. "You fight fine, Kagome," he whispered, knowing she couldn't hear, "I'm just afraid that in one of those fights I'll lose you."

"Hmmm?" she asked turning around again, "Did you say something?"

Inuyasha looked at her, thinking for a moment, "I said... uh..." He started, "I think you did my bandages on my leg too tight." That was NOT what he wanted to say. _'I want to tell her. Kami, I want to tell her, but she deserves better. She deserves someone who is full breed human. Someone of power, someone who can protect her, someone who will love her without being confused. It's been 2 years since we started hunting down the shards. And I know that I love her... I've always known, but I'm not good for her.'_

Kagome checked the bandages, rolling up the leg of his hakama. She tested the bandages, "No, they look fine, do you think they're too tight? I can loosen them." She looked at Inuyasha carefully trying to discern is he was in a lot of pain.

"It's okay," he replied. They sat in silence for a long time just looking into each others eyes. Vibrant blue orbs searched reflective golden ones, Kagome was looking for something, anything, that would tell her that he felt the same way she did.

The silence was broken by a high voice, "Inuyasha-sama!" a purple haired child flew onto his chest. Kagome looked up to see Itacha and Miroku walking towards them.

She looked up and all around, "Where's Sango?" She asked them when they approached.

"She's taking care of some of the prisoners. There are some taijiya down there, so she's helping them out." Miroku and Itacha answered at the same time. They looked at each other and laughed. The little girl was talking a million miles an hour to Inuyasha. She looked to be about thirteen or fourteen, but looks meant nothing in the ages of demons.

Inuyasha chuckled, "Slow down, Kyrei!" he smiled at the lavender haired, pink eyed, child, "I've only been gone a hundred and thirty years, ya know, not much could have happened."

"Oh Inuyasha-sama," Kyrei smiled, "We've missed you so much! Everything changed when you went away. Sayaku and Itacha are going to be together!" Inuyasha looked at the blushing Itacha and smiled, he knew it. Those too were too close when he left for them NOT to be together.

Kyrei laid down next to Inuyasha, "Inu-sama, I don't want to live here anymore. They're not nice here, and it took me a hundred years to realize that no one will be able to completely protect me, and I want to find out what the world is like," Kyrei said looking at the sky, "There's a whole world out there Inu-sama, and I want to see it!"

Inuyasha nodded, "I think you should do that," he said looking at Kagome briefly, "And drop the -sama Kit, it's just Inuyasha," he looked over at her, "or Inu, since you've always been keen on calling me that anyway, Kit."

Kagome smiled, looking at the interaction. Kagome looked up again and saw a whole swarm of people of all ages she realized it was the people from the dungeons. Kagome saw Sango riding on Kirara with a male with red hair and grey eyes. She saw Itacha's eyes light up when she saw the group of people. Sango hopped off Kirara and and so did the man.

"Thank you for you're help, Sayaku," Sango said smiling at him. Kagome saw Miroku bristle, and almost laughed out loud. She knew the sting of jealousy well. Miroku turned away from her.

Sayaku bowed, "It was not of large effort, Lady Sango." Sango blushed and looked away. Kagome blushed too, Sayaku's voice was deep, and dangerous for anyone to listen to for a long amount of time. Sango looked at Miroku who was glaring at Sayaku. She giggled and smiled at him, Miroku caught the smile and stopped glaring at Sayaku. Inuyasha saw Kagome's blush and frowned.

Sayaku bowed, "Inuyasha-sama, nice to see you are alive and well."

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at him, "Since when will do you call me -sama? Why is everyone calling me fucking -sama?" Kagome sat down on the other side of him, and put one hand on his shoulder, and he calmed down. He was sitting up now, both legs bent slightly, glaring at Sayaku.

"Inuyasha, they're just showing you respect," she said giving him a reassuring squeeze, "But let all present please note, he goes by Inuyasha only now." Kagome stood and walked to Sango's side. Sango was struggling to hold in a giggle, she had never called Inuyasha by a proper term anyway. Shippou was rolling his eyes and settled himself on Miroku's shoulder, shaking his head. Miroku smiled, hoping it looked enlightened instead of mocking.

"What do we do now?" a voice behind Itacha asked, followed by mummers of the crowd generally agreeing.

Inuyasha stood up without any help, "Now you go find you're families and I'll go finish what I started," he said looking at his original group and nodding his head.

"Uh... Inuyasha," Sayaku said hesitantly, "You have to appoint a lord if you're not going to rule here." He shifted from foot to foot and looked everywhere but the dog-eared hanyou.

Inuyasha looked around, "You do it, Sayaku. I can think of no one more capable of reigning in my mother's lands," Inuyasha looked over the crowed before walking away, uninterrupted this time. Kyrei came along, though they'd leave her by Kaede so she'd be out of danger, and surprisingly, so did Itacha. Kagome, Sango, and Itacha walked towards the back, while Inuyasha and Miroku lead the way, and Kyrei and Shippou stayed between the two rows of teenagers. (**A/N:** I'm not sure what to call them, Kagome is the only one still really a teenager... O.o)

* * *

Kagome washed the pot they used for dinner in the river, nearby in the forest Shippou and Kyrei were playing. Walking back to the clearing where they'd set up camp she sensed it, a jewel shard, untainted, and coming her way.

"Inuyasha!" she called to him, and instantly he was at her side, "There is a jewel shard coming this way," she continued, "And it's moving pretty fast."

Inuyasha sniffed the air, "It's not Kouga, I don't know that scent." Kagome took refuge behind him, seeing as she didn't have a weapon.

Itacha, Sango, and Miroku burst forth from the direction of camp. Itacha brought her fingers to her lips and blew out a shrill whistle. Within seconds, Kyrei was by her side, Shippou not far behind. With an unseen gesture from Inuyasha, she grabbed Kagome and the children and got away from the potential battle field, back to the camp.

As soon as she was released, Kagome scrambled for her bow and quiver. She stopped at the edge of the small clearing, "No matter what you hear," Kagome said, "Stay here." With that she ran through the forest, knowing she was going to piss off Inuyasha with this stunt. She could see them, the jewel shard was closer than ever, it was so close. No sooner had she taken her place between Inuyasha and Miroku, than a Shinidamachu came into view and dropped the Shikon no Kakkera at Kagome's feet before turning back and heading to it's mistress. Kagome picked up the purified jewel shard and watched Inuyasha watched the Shinidamachu disappear. She walked away knowing that her heart would break tonight.

* * *

Itacha and Kyrei could feel the tension in the air at camp that night. Shippou had explained to Kyrei in hushed tones, for fear of the older male hanyou. Kyrei, in turn, told her sister while they were bathing. Sango and Kagome were with them and filled in all the missing things that Shippou didn't know, like how Kikyou hated Kagome for being alive. Itacha played with her little sister for a little while.

When everyone was clean and fed, Kyrei asked Inuyasha, "Inuyasha? Don't I smell pretty?"

Inuyasha opened his arms and the little hanyou jumped into his arms, "You sure do, Kit," he said sitting on the roots of a tree. Kyrei could see he was distracted as he played with her lavender hair, "Did you use Kagome's soaps?" Inuyasha looked off into the sky, sadly Kikyou's Shinidamachu were still hanging around.

"Yes, I did, Inu." Kyrei said crawling out of his arms. Kagome let Kyrei and Shippou use her sleeping bag, and she used Sango's. Sango slept on a transformed Kirara, while Miroku slept leaning up against a tree. Itacha stayed in a tree away from Inuyasha and Kagome's bedding was underneath her. She shook her head at the silver haired hanyou.

When he thought everyone was asleep, Inuyasha went off into the forest, in search of his dead love. Itacha decided to to tail the hopeless hanyou. Inuyasha found Kikyou near the river upstream from where they were camped. Itacha stayed hidden as Inuyasha and Kikyou greeted each other.

"Inuyasha," she said stonily.

Said hanyou touched her cold cheek of clay, "Kikyou... I..." He couldn't quite get the words out. How should he put it, 'I loved you, but I love Kagome now, goodbye'? He couldn't do that to her, Inuyasha owed Kikyou everything. Without her, he would have never met Kagome. He would have never had such a fierce reason to live.

Kikyou figured it out, "Do you love her Inuyasha? Do you care for her more than you do me?" she asked, sounding slightly peeved. Inuyasha was silent, Kikyou understood, "Okay. I understand." (**A/N: **Kikyou bashers, I'm sorry but I read the manga, and I feel bad for her... It's pathetic, whatever.)

"I can't go to hell with you," Inuyasha suddenly found his voice, "because I want the chance with her. I have to live, for her."

Kikyou watched him in the eyes, "Does she love you, Inuyasha?" she asked, planting the seed of doubt before walking away.

Inuyasha only let her get a few steps, "Thank you for the shard. I love you, Kikyou, just not in the way I love Kagome. It's taken me too long to figure that out. I owe you, and I will avenge you're death, but I want to be in her life." He turned around and headed back to camp, now aware of the pink eyed hanyou tagging him. He shook his head, and they went to their separate trees.

Itacha giggled and looked out into the night, "It's almost the sliver moon Inuyasha. I'm going to have to go for that night."

Inuyasha shook his head again, "No you don't, actually. They know when my human night is. Why not yours?" He chuckled at the gasp that came from the girl. Pink eyes widened as they stared off into the distance. "It's Kagome's fault. She insisted on staying at that damned monastery."

Itacha raised an eyebrow and looked at her former lord, "Monastery?" she asked, genuinely intrigued.

Kagome stirred and Inuyasha watched her, "When we first started traveling together, almost two years ago, a girl was in trouble. Kagome always had a fucking bleeding heart. She insisted we see her safely to the monastery she was staying at. It turned out that the Houshi there was the leader of the demons that killed her parents and the people of her village."

Itacha saw the far away look in Inuyasha's eyes, "What was her name?"

"Nazuna." Inuyasha stated still staring at Kagome. He knew that was the name of the girl, he'd often thought of that day, Kagome had asked him if he trusted her. If she had asked him that today he would have said with his life.

Itacha looked at him, "You do realize that if this encounter had happened before you met Kagome, you wouldn't have been able to tell me that girl's name." With a pointed glare from her former lord she giggled. Itacha knew he was in love.

The girl in question shot up screaming. "No! Inuyasha!"

"Over here, wench," he said calmly. He jumped down from his branch and looked her over, "What happened?"

Kagome stared at him curiously, "You're okay?" She looked around her and twisted and turned to take in all of her surroundings. "You didn't destroy everything?"

Inuyasha was thoroughly confused, "What the hell are you talking about?" Itacha jumped down softly and sat on her haunches next to Kagome. Inuyasha was so close to her face that their noses were touching, staring into tired grey blue eyes.

"You destroyed everything," she said, "but it doesn't matter. It was just a dream." She said laying back down turning her back to him.

He leaned over her so he could see her face, "Hey, what?" he asked knowing the look in her eyes. The sorrow deeper than her heart, the sadness in her soul. She blinked back the tears and shook her head. He growled and stood up.

"Then don't tell me," he scowled, knowing why she wouldn't tell him. As of now, Inuyasha was in the dog house, no pun intended. (**A/N:** Although it is funny.)

Kagome let one tear leak out and Itacha looked at her, the smell of salt hitting her nose. _'Inuyasha you ass.' _she thought looking at the girl whom obviously didn't see her.

Kagome squeezed her eyes shut, trying to stop the tears. _'He went to Kikyou. Like you knew he would.' _she told herself, _'She's dead and he STILL loves her. She was perfect, you don't stand a chance.' _Still fighting the tears Kagome took a deep breath, _'You can't be perfect, even thought you'd die to be Kikyou. Ironic.'_

Inuyasha looked at Kagome from his tree. Then he looked at Itacha who had been approaching him, "Baka," she said, "Why don't you just tell her?" she whispered. Inuyasha just shook his head and looked down.

"She doesn't want me." Inuyasha stated looking out into the lightening night.

Itacha turned her face away from him, "She wouldn't be crying if she didn't want you, Inuyasha," Itacha started, "She loves you. And you know it. Stop being a coward. Man up!" she hissed.

Her words brought back memories from the old days.

* * *

_"Man up, Inuyasha!" a little Itacha yelled at the golden eyed hanyou._

_She was older than him by only a couple of days, but she pushed him around like she was his big sister, "I don't wanna Itacha!" he yelled back, "I don't want to do this! It's stupid!"_

_It was stupid. Itacha wanted him to take on some bigger demons, low level demons, yes, but still. Two frog youkai conversed not far from where the children were hiding in the bushes._

_"Kami, Inuyasha! Stop being such a coward! Just DO IT!" Itacha said pushing him out of the bushes. _

_The two youkai looked at the hanyou interrupter with disgust. Inuyasha took a deep breath and puffed out his chest and growled, "You're in my way."_

_One of the youkai croaked, "Then find a new way, hanyou filth." This one was obviously a male, ugly, and slimy, but a male._

_Inuyasha crossed his arms and glared at them, "Move!"

* * *

_

That was the day that Inuyasha learned Iron Reaver Soul Stealer. Without Itacha's pushing, he wouldn't have survived. She didn't deserve the live she had... neither of them did.

* * *

**Keli-sama: **I love you guys so you're not gonna hurt me right? I know it's been... FOREVER... I'm sorry. If you wanna know the whole story I'm willing to tell you.

Hope you liked it... Now review, yell at me, and lets get this over with.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:** Human Together and A Fire Within

**Disclaimer:** I only own Itacha, Kyrei, and Sayaku, as well as the people destroyed in the last chapter. Chances are if you recognize the name from the anime/manga they belong to Takahashi-san and Viz media.

**Author's Note:** To the people that put me on they're "Follow list" thing, please review for me and tell me if I'm doing good. It would also be nice if you guys gave me ideas for adventures Itacha and Inuyasha have been through, remember it's for them as kids, so nothing too grown up.

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Itacha and Kyrei walked on either side of Inuyasha. Miroku and Shippou following loosely behind, and Kagome, Sango, and Kirara trailing behind. Kagome was lost in her world of thoughts, and Sango was staying far from the male hanyou of the group so she didn't behead him and make Kagome even sadder. Kyrei was holding Inuyasha's hand, and the vicious hand that killed so many was gentle in gripping the hand of the small child. Itacha had her arms crossed and whispered to Inuyasha so that only he could hear.

"Tell her, Inuyasha," she demanded looking back quickly. Inuyasha shook his head, they'd already gone over this, he didn't want to talk about it. "If you never tell her how would you ever know? I know she cares for you! I can feel it, Inu!"

He retaliated softly, "Itacha, stop. She deserves more than a hanyou. She deserves someone pure."

Itacha took offense, she was a hanyou after all, "So you're gonna let her go? Really, Inuyasha?" He nodded and stopped walking. The entire group stopped and he bent down to whisper to Kyrei.

Kyrei giggled and nodded, "Okay, Inu!" She went to the back of the group to Sango, "Sango-chan can Inu-kun and I borrow Kirara?"

Sango looked up at Inuyasha who smiled and shrugged, "Okay, where are you going?" Sango asked the little girl handing over small cat Kirara.

"Not far, Inu-kun and I are going to get something." Kyrei then turned to Kagome, "Kagome-chan, can you come with us. I like you, and I want you to see this."

Kagome nodded and Kyrei put small Kirara down and stepped back as she transformed. Kagome gave her yellow bag to Miroku, keeping her bow and arrow. Kyrei said it wasn't far, so it shouldn't take long. Besides they were close to Kaede's village. So it was best that's was there bag was anyway. Kagome got on Kirara behind Inuyasha, twisting her fingers in Kirara's fur.

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Kyrei was chatting excitedly the entire ride. It took a little while to get to the mountain pass where they were going, but they got there. It wasn't necessarily far from where they were, but it was around a lot of mountainous area, and it would have taken forever to walk. In the valley of to relatively high mountains, Inuyasha brought Kirara down. There was a beautiful home nestled in the crevice, "This is where Itacha's family lived before she died and Itacha's father brought her and Kyrei to our village." Inuyasha explained. Kagome nodded, and Kirara transformed back into her kitten form, sensing no danger.

Kyrei nodded, "When Inuyasha was living in the village, and even sometimes after he left, we would come here, and hide things that were important to us. That way, if we were ever killed, one of us would come back for the stuff to give us a proper burial." Kagome looked at the little girl, who had tears in her fuchsia eyes. Kagome picked her up and hugged her, comforting her the only way she knew how. Looking at Inuyasha she saw sadness in his eyes, but he was never really one to cry anyway. He went into the house and Kagome and Kirara followed. Inuyasha was in his own world.

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**Flashback:**

_Inuyasha held the package in his hands close to his chest as he ran. Itacha stayed with Kyrei back at the village, but he had to put the package in the safe spot. He ran fast, his little legs tired but he pushed on, if he stopped now he'd become kibble for bigger demons. The house became visible, and he bounded forward. He hid his treasure in a room in the house, and left as fast as he could, making sure no demons had seen him. Then he took off in the direction of the village, ignoring the pain in his legs thinking, '_If I ever find her, I'll give her my mother's ring_'

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_

Inuyasha closed his eyes and looked around, force of habit. He slipped into the house, that was surprisingly modern, Kagome found. There were doors, and partitions for the rooms. Kyrei jumped down and ran to Inuyasha's side. She took his hand in hers and whispered loud enough that anyone listening could hear, "Inu-kun, it's okay to cry here. No one will hurt you."

Inuyasha got down on his knees before the little girl and crushed her to his body. He hid his face in her small shoulder, and cried. Kagome bared witness to this and tears sprang to her eyes. Inuyasha, whom she had always seen as the strong leader of their little gang, was crying in the arms of a little girl. He made no sound, but his shoulders quaked, and his ears drooped, and he clutched Kyrei like a lifeline. Kagome went to them, and fell to her knees next to him. She didn't know what made her do it, but she wrapped her arms around the both of them. She knew she had no place there, she didn't exactly share their pain, she had no idea what it was like to grow up as a hanyou child, but she wanted the both of them to know that not everyone despised them.

Inuyasha felt Kagome's arms around him, but it was too late to stop the tears. He turned to her, bangs covering his eyes, but the trails of tears showing. Kyrei wiggled out of his grip and the two teens were facing each other. Kagome put two fingers under his chin and forced him to look into her eyes (**A/N: **Ha! Kagome forcing Inuyasha to look at her... priceless). His liquid gold eyes swirled with emotion and tears continued to leak out of them. Kagome wiped away the tears that ran over his cheek, and hugged him close to her. Inuyasha held onto her, careful so his claws won't hurt her he squeezed her tight to him, "Thank you," he whispered after a while, "Kagome."

Kagome nodded as he pulled away, and they both missed the warmth. Kagome looked around, there were piles of stuff everywhere. Dolls, and clothes, and scrolls, and art. It seemed like anything they could have gotten their hands on became a treasure for them. Inuyasha got up and offered her a hand, she took it and stood next to him. Kyrei was looking around, going through random piles of stuff. Inuyasha went into a different room, and came back holding a small package. Kagome was curious but said nothing. Kyrei made a small exclamation as she found what she was looking for, "Look, Inu! I found it!"

Inuyasha smiled at her, "Very nice, Kit." She was showing him a small cloth doll with the face of a geisha. It was wearing a tiny elaborate kimono, and bamboo shoes.

"My Okaa-san gave it to me when I was a baby," Kyrei explained to Kagome, "I've had it here, because it wasn't safe to have it in the village. I may be too big for dolls now, but I want to keep it. As a reminder." She said all this with a smile, she may not have gotten over the death, but she accepted it.

Kagome looked at it, "It's very beautiful, Kyrei," she said softly.

Kyrei giggled, "You can call me Kit! I like you, you're nice." She bounced out of the house, taking Kirara with her.

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Sango looked up when she heard Kirara's feet land at sunset. Kyrei slid off of Kirara's back and ran to her sister, showing her the doll. Itacha smiled and nodded her approval. Inuyasha and Kagome hadn't spoken one word to each other since his breakdown, and Kagome didn't mind. She knew he was processing what happened, she was doing the same thing. They walked over to the group, Inuyasha a little behind Kagome, and Sango held out Ramen for them.

It was sweet of Sango to make them dinner even if she wasn't sure when they were coming back. They're were strips of cooked meat in it and Kagome knew Itacha had something to do with that. Dinner passed with simple conversation, how the jewel shard hunt is coming, the weather, Kagome's time... Okay when the topic turned to Kagome's time it got a little tense.

"You're not going back, again, are you? I thought you said that those stupid exam things were over," Inuyasha grumped slightly glaring at her.

Kagome fired back without skipping a beat, "They ARE over, Inuyasha, but at the rate you eat, I need to go back to refill supplies!" she frowned, "I'm running low on gauze AND Ramen." She knew that the last one would catch his attention.

Itacha watched the fight, while the others in the gang just shrugged it off. They knew Kagome would get her way, one way or the other.

That's when the command came, "You're so infuriating! SIT!"

Inuyasha was thrown into the ground, and an Inuyasha shaped crater formed around him. Itacha's eyes widened as she peered down at the subdued hanyou. _'Such power! Can she do that to anyone?' _Itacha thought looking at the hole being vacated by the, now grumpy and angry, hanyou.

Kyrei was just as awestruck as her sister, but neither wanted to go up to the fuming couple, whom were still boring holes into each other with their eyes. The stars twinkled above them, and neither Inuyasha, nor Kagome, was giving in. Neither realized that Itacha and Kyrei had turned human.

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Dun Dun Dun! Cliff hanger! Sorry. I just don't know what to do! I have ideas, and a flow chart, but it's not organizing right. It's not what I want it to be. You guys could help yah know! Send me a review. I really need them. I feel like no one is reading. -.-

Again sorry for the short chapter.

~*~Keli-sama~*~


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